Written by: G. Ahlborn
Reviewed by: L. Kiff
Edited by: L. Kiff, G. Ahlborn

DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND SEASONALITY

     Common in breeding season throughout most of California.  Absent to uncommon in most
of state in winter, with greatest concentrations in coastal regions.  Not found at highest
elevations in Sierra Nevada.  Occurs in open stages of most habitats that provide adequate
cliffs or large trees for nesting, roosting, and resting.

SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS

   Feeding:    Primarily eats carrion; rarely rotting fruit, live birds, eggs, or live mammals.  A
highly specialized static soarer, foraging aerially over roads, fields, open forests, and nearly
all open habitats.  Searches for carrion from the air and from a perch, aided by sense of smell.
May rob young herons of food (Temple 1969).

   Cover:    Large trees, rock outcrops, and riparian thickets are used for roosting, perching,
and sunning.

   Reproduction:    Cliffs, rock outcrops with rims, ledges, and cavities in trees, snags, and
logs used for nesting.

   Water:    Drinks occasionally (Brown and Amadon 1968).  Captives have been observed for
6-12 mo without free water (Hatch 1970).

   Pattern:    Suitable habitat consists of extensive open areas with protected nest and roost
sites provided by large trees, snags, thickets, shrubs, and rock outcrops.

SPECIES LIFE HISTORY

   Activity Patterns:    Yearlong, diurnal activity.

   Seasonal Movements/Migration:    Migrates south or downslope for winter.  Some
individuals in coastal regions winter in California.  Remainder of population migrates, mostly to
Central America, for the winter.  Large flocks concentrate along well defined, traditional
migration routes in autumn.

   Home Range:    No data found, but observations indicate turkey vulture uses extensive
areas.  Individuals regularly forage out 24-32 km (15-20 mi) from roost or nest.

   Territory:    Little evidence of territoriality found.  In California, as many as 500 juveniles
observed using communal roosts August through October.

   Reproduction:    A ritualized display including several individuals may precede mating (Loftin
and Tyson 1965, Brown and Amadon 1968).  Lays 1 clutch/ yr of 2 eggs, rarely 1 or 3.
Incubates 38-41 days (Brown and Amadon 1968).  Semialtricial young hatch with eyes open;
cared for by both parents for 80 days, or more.

   Niche:    Often feeds with ravens and condors, although apparently subordinate to each.
Golden eagles and coyotes may keep turkey vulture from carcasses.

REFERENCES

Bent, A. C.  1937.  Life histories of North American birds of prey.  Part 1.  U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull.
     167.  409pp.
Brown, L., and D. Amadon.  1968.  Eagles, hawks and falcons of the world.  2 Vols.  Country
     Life Books, London.  945pp.
Coles, V.  1944.  Nesting of the turkey vulture in Ohio caves.  Auk  61:219-228.
Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988.  The birder's handbook.  Simon and
     Schuster, New York.  785pp.
Garrett, K., and J.  Dunn.  1981.  Birds of southern California.  Los Angeles Audubon Soc.
     408pp.
Grinnell, J., and A. H. Miller. 1944.  The distribution of the birds of California.  Pac. Coast
     Avifauna No. 27.  608pp.
Hatch, D. E.  1970.  Energy conserving and heat dissipating mechanisms of the turkey
     vulture.  Auk  87:111-124.
Loftin, H., and E. L. Tyson.  1965.  Stylized behavior in turkey vulture courtship dance.  Wilson
     Bull.  77:193.
McKelvey, M.  1965.  Unusual bathing habits of the turkey vulture.  Condor  67:265.
Temple, S. A.  1969.  A case of turkey vulture piracy on great blue herons.  Wilson Bull.
     81:94.
Work, T. H., and A. J. Wool.  1942.  The nest life of the turkey vulture.  Condor  44:149-159.
 
Compiled from information from California Department of Fish and Game - California Interagency Wildlife Task Group